Linear-dimension gauge



June 6, 1944. F. P. AYERS LINEAR-DIMENSION GAUGE 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Sept. 30, 1943 June 6, 1944. F. P. AYERS 2,350,852 f LINEAR-DIMENSION GAUGE i me@ sept. 50,1943 2 sheets-Shana /NVEJY To Famose/cfr P. H )f5/es.

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Patented June 6, 1944 LINEAR-DIMENSION GAUGE Frederick Percival Ayers, Iarn's'tapla' North Devon, England l Application September 30 In Great Britain 1943, Serial No. 504,482 December 8,1941

'5 claims'. c1. ea-im According to the present invention a gauge forV I testing linear dimensions comprises a rdisplace- `able feeler member for contacting the workpiece and capable of movement to varythe distance between its `work=conta`cting end and a Iwork-supporting surface, said lfeele'r member having associated therewith 'an electrical contactor capable of movement with the feeler and disposed between a pair of adjustable contacts connected with visual or audible means for electrically indicating respectively high and 'lowlimits of movement oi the feeler member, andis characterised in that the `fee1er 'member is a rod slidable in a sleeve, the latter carrying the electrical contactor and being'capable of movement with the feeler rod until the Icontactor engagesone ofsaid contacts for indicating a high limit, the feeler member then being capable of continued movement relatively to the sleeve. v l l v -By means of the present invention should an Vperator attempt to force 4a very high work-piece under the Afeeller rod the rod can continue to move even though the sleeve is held stationary by the contactor engaging one of the adjustable contacts. Y In order that4 the invention mayy be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying sheets of drawings which illustrate two embodiments of the invention by way of'example. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a part -sectional side view of the `gauge complete with stand, and

4Figure 2 illustrates aslight modication.

Referring to the drawings the gauge is carriedV by a standcomprising a base I having a `work support 2. The base I also has connected thereto the lower end kof a pillar 3 upon which is slid- `able a split collar 4 adapted to betightened: on the pillar The collar 4 has extending-horizontally therefrom a `supporting arm 6 from which extend two angularly directed limbs 'l and =8 which ter- -minate in hollow `bosses 9 K n comprises ia, vertical feeler 'rod I I 'sli'dable in a -Isleeve I2. Fitted to 3 by a lockingihandle 5 in `any desired and I I) located cov axially in spaced relationship one' above the nut `I8 :has associated 'therewith Iwhichserves to lock the nut I8 :in its adjusted this sleeve I2 midway betweenv 'Igand `A801 the arm 6 -is an electrical contacton I3 which is vnormally ylocated between. two adjustable contacts or points AI4 and V,I5 whichmay comprise two contact -screws which pass respectively through insulation in the two limbsy'l and -8 `into the space between them,` these screws having :heads IIi outside `the limbs lby means lofv which they can be screwed towards Vor away fr-om the -contactor I3 on the sleeve I2. i The vtwo Vcontacts 14 and I 5 are electrically connected Vto two Edif,-

`feientlycoloured lamps L andg-,L which mayrbe red and 'green one vlof rwhich islightedaccording toV which :adjustable contact Iis engaged by -the contacter I3. In :place of the contact screws any other suitable contact carriers may beY used .whereby their spacing 4may be set atlwill. Further, when thejcontactsare part of screws, the

'screws may be headless and ,adjusted by nuts which abut against the inner faces of rthe limbs `of the supporting member.- y

- The sleeve I2 rengages at it supperfend against .the lower face ofya loose bearing ring =I-'Iabove which is located an adjusting nutfl having -a tubular depending extension lI9 which enters the upper end of the sleeve I2. The adjusting la locknut 20 position on the threaded `upper extremitycf the feeler rod fI'I. Therpurpose of ithe bearing ring I'I isto present an ample beai'ingsurfacegagainst which thexupper-end-of the sleeve I2 canengage;

The 'adjusting nut I8 is preferably formed vwith fflats orvmade vsquare and vengages fin a-slot `I 'on the boss *9 so that the r"nut :and `theixwliole feeler mechanism cannot turn. i

1A "weight 22 'is fitted atithe y'upper end of Ythe feeler rod Il and is 'such `that it will overcome ftheeiect of a compression'springn ipositioned between the 4hollow boss iIl) fand 'the ycontactor I3. The assemblyfof sleeve I2 and feeler -rod II will 'normally rest in its -lowerrnostlp'osition with the contacter 'I3 resting on thev bottom contact point I5. `)The :operation-of the Vgauge -as follows:

Firstly, the split 'collar 4 lis adjusted vertical-ly -'on'the pillar'3tofeiect a rough setting. PAs'tandard 'testing block is iirst placed between fthe feeler 'rod II andthe "work-supporting vsurface 2. 'Thelfeeler rod IIvis then :set by Amanipulation of its 'adjusting'nutl and'lo'cknut-'Zl The 'two contact screws V4 and-I5 or Vequivalents are then set relatively to the contact I3 `Ion the feeler rod so thatthey are fspa'ced-awa'yffrom' the feeler contact I 3 av distance -faccording -toA thef permitted limitsof error. l:Normally the i'eelerfcontactor I3 will rest upon'the lower contact point I5 when the gauge is not inl-use. A*VVli'eniaworkpiece is placed in position the feeler rod f II may lbe 'raised clear o'f the workpiece by lifting the Weight 22 b'yhand. Alternatively-the Wglitl can the drawings the be iiftedtc raise the feeler arm Il by an electromagnet brought into operation by means of a switch.

Assuming that a high workpiece is being testedV the weighted feeler rod II will rise and*v the adjusting nut I9 will move upwards with the feeler rodaway from the bearing ring I1 and the spring 23 will then urge the sleeve I2 upwards so that the latter acts as a follower and will move the contactor I3 into engagement with the upper contact point I4 to light the lamp to indicate a high reading.

to force it under the feeler arm I I no damage will be inflicted upon thefgauge because thesleeve I2 after it has been moved upwards by said spring 23.,will remain'stationary after the feeler contact I3 engages the upper contact point I4 and the feeler rodV II itself will move idly relatively to the sleeve I2.

'Should however no upward movement be mparted to the feeler rod II the contactor IllV will remain in engagement with' the lower contact point I5 and the tact will remain alight and so indicate that the workpiece is below the lower limit of error. When not in use the feeler contactor I3 will normally engage the lower contact point and so close the circuit to the lamp L of that contact. To avoid waste of electric current when the gauge is not in use a switch may be provided which isv moved to the on position only when the gauge is to be used. It isdesirable, but not essential, to keep the feeler contactor I3 located centrally between the limbs 'I and 8 of the arm member 6 and to enable this to be done the feeler contactor I3 maybe fitted with an extension 24 adapted to register with a datum line marked on a card or other surface tension.

Referring to Figure before described may neat casing 25 which to facilitate 2 the mechanism hereinif desired behoused in a setting of the Supposing however Y a workpiece is very high and a workman attempts Y located in juxtaposition to said exlamp L controlled by that coni gauge may be provided with a door to enable the contact screws or equivalents to be seti, In door is removedto showthe interior of the casing 25. In this embodiment ythe casing 25 may be carried by the supporting `arm 6 and the limbs 1 and 8 for' thea'dju'stable contacts form part of a contact block 26 supported in the casing. .The door or covering could be closed and sealed.

When electric lamps are used in connection with this invention to described herein, it is to be understood that they vmay be of different or the same colour, and, if desired, may be suitably marked with plus and minus signs or other suitable legends. In addigive a visual indication as tion, a third lamp not shown may, be included indicating correctsize in any suitable way and so Wired up that itis constantly alight- YIn this case, with the third lamp alone illuminated it will indicate to the operator that the work is within the required limits, but this lamp illuminated in.v `l

either of the error lamps willV that the work is outsideA the Y conjunction `with at once indicate prescribed limits. Y y Y With a workpiece having a number of partsto be measured a corresponding number of gauges, i

. engageable feeler :member and an electricalcon-l dimensions.

tactor member both mounted for movement toward and away from said work support, yieldable means tending-constantly to move said contactor member away from said work support and effective to do so when said'contactor member is unrestrained against such movement, means tending constantly to move said feeler member toward said work supportunder a force in excess of the force exerted by said yieldable means, an operative connection between said feeler member and said contactor member whereby the former moves the latter toward said work support when a piece of work interposed between said work support and said feeler member is of lesser than a predetermined dimension andwhereby said contactor support by interposition between the latter and said work support of a piece of work of greater than said predetermined dimension, a pair of spaced apart contacts one to be engaged by said contactor member upon movement of the latter toward the work support by said feeler member when a piece of work interposed between the Work support and said feeler member is of lesser than Ysaid predetermined dimension and the other to be engaged by said contactor member upon movement of the latter away from the work support when a piece of vwork interposed between the work support and said feeler member isl of greater than said predetermined dimension, separate electrical circuits controlled by engagement andr disengagement of said contactor member with and from said contacts, and electrical indicators in said circuits.

2. A gauge as set forth in claim 1 in which the feeler member is adjustable relative to its operative connection with the contactor member to adapt the gauge for use in gauging pieces of work of various different dimensions.

3.V A gauge as set forth in claim 1 in which the contactor member includes a sleeve and in which the feeler member is in the form cfa rod extending through saidfsleeve.

4. A gauge as set forth in claim 1 in which the contactor member includes a sleeve, in which the feeler member is in the form of a rod extending through said sleeve, and-in which the operative connection between said contactor member and said feeler member comprises an abutmentvo'n said rod -engageable with the end of said sleeve vremote from the work support whereby the sleeve and the contactor member are movable toward the work support by the feeler member and whereby the latter is freely movable away from the work support independently ofsaid sleeve and said contactor member. v

5. A gauge as setforth in claim l in Which the contactor member. includes a sleeve, in which the feeler member isV in the form of a rod extending through said sleeve, and in which the'operative. connection between said contactor Vmember and said feeler membercomprises an Iabutment lon said rod engageable with the end of said sleeve frer'rlotefr'om the work support whereby the sleeve and the contactor member are movabletoward theA workY support by the feeler member and whereby Athelatter is freely movable away Vfrom the work support independently 'of said sleeve andi said contactor memberjsaid abutment being threaded onsaid' rod for adjustment longitudinally with respect theretoto adapt the gauge'for use in gauging pieces of work .of various different FREDERICK PERCIVAIL iAYRs; 

